Yet she was not wholly despondent as her eyes followed the disappearing figure of Noble Dill. His wholesome sprightliness was visible at any distance; and who would not take a little pride in having been even the mistaken instrument of saving so gay a young man from the loss of his reason? No; Florence was not cast down. Day-after-to-morrow she would taste Freedom again, and her profoundest regret was that after all her Aunt Julia was not to be married. Florence had made definite plans for the wedding, especially for the principal figure at the ceremony. This figure, as Florence saw things, would have been that of the "Flower Girl," naturally a niece of the bride; but she was able to dismiss the bright dream with some philosophy. And to console her for everything, had she not a star in her soul? Had she not discovered that she could write poetry whenever she felt like it?
Noble passed from her sight, but nevertheless continued his radiant progress down Julia's Street. Life stretched before him, serene, ineffably fragrant, unending. He saw it as a flower-strewn sequence of calls upon Julia, walks with Julia, talks with Julia by the library fire. Old Mr. Atwater was to be away four days longer, and Julia, that great-hearted bride-not-to-be, had given him her promise.
Blushing, indeed divinely, she had promised him upon her sacred word, never so long as she lived, to be engaged to anybody at all.
THE END
| BOOKS BY BOOTH TARKINGTON |
|
ALICE ADAMS BEASLEY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY BEAUTY AND THE JACOBIN CHERRY CONQUEST OF CANAAN GENTLE JULIA HARLEQUIN AND COLUMBINE HIS OWN PEOPLE IN THE ARENA MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE PENROD PENROD AND SAM RAMSEY MILHOLLAND SEVENTEEN THE BEAUTIFUL LADY THE FLIRT THE GENTLEMAN FROM INDIANA THE GIBSON UPRIGHT THE GUEST OF QUESNAY THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS THE MAN FROM HOME THE TURMOIL THE TWO VANREVELS |
Transcriber’s Notes
1. Punctuation has been made regular and consistent with contemporary standards.
2. Advertisement "Books by Booth Tarkington" moved to end of text.